Reading Time: 8minutes Impact mapping is visual mapping technique for product development. Gojko Adzic invented this method to align teams to business objectives, test mutual understanding of goals and expected outcomes with stakeholders, focus teams toward the highest value features to deliver, and enable collaborative decision-making.
An impact map is a visual mind-map, developed collaboratively between business and technical people during a discussion facilitated by answering the fundamental four questions: "Why (Goals)?", "Who (Actors)?", "How (Impacts)?", "What (Deliverables)?"
Impact mapping is highly driven by business improvement and objectives. With SMART goals the development is more likely be stopped at the right time because the deliverables have had — or do not have had — the desired impact.